There are approximately 30 000 people in homelessness crisis in Poland, and approximately 25 000 people are in facilities (Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Policy, 2019). According to a 2020 Supreme Audit Office (NIK) report, measures taken by government authorities, local government authorities, and CSOs do not form a coherent and effective system that makes people in homelessness crisis live independently. New solutions need to be found, including residential solutions, while reductions are needed to the shelter system, which is not very effective, and expensive.

We aim to develop innovative solutions to make people in homelessness crisis independent, incorporating the new social policy trend – deinstitutionalization.

We will analyse the current tools and working methods at the Shelter and the needs of the people in homelessness crisis. We will create an expert panel to make recommendations regarding transition from the Shelter to a modular residence system and draw up the strategic and operational objectives of the new program. When the Shelter team is working, residents will be constantly consulted on the program. Experts on a second panel will make recommendations on implementation and dissemination. During study visits, we make use of know-how of the Finland Y-Foundation and the Bread Community Association. Local government officials will also participate in the visits (fifteen people in total).
We will organize training for the team, using the motivational dialog method (five workshops and three supervisory meetings) and a workshop on the methodology of the Housing First program.

Residents and personnel of the Zielona Góra Shelter (ten persons), experts, and representatives of institutions and organizations fighting homelessness will participate – 40 people in total.

In the project, an all-embracing and long-term program will be created to move people in homelessness crisis to deinstitutionalized housing and personnel will be trained to run the program.